Before my son got locked up, he was healthy. Being locked up for more than 21 hours and sometimes more than 23 hours a day made my son sick. He is physically deteriorating. His speech is slower and he seems distant now.

“There is a long, storied history of tension and distrust about the police, and that includes BART officers,” Habtegeorgis said. “Because there isn’t that connection of culture and community, there is a greater risk of severe and deadly misunderstandings.”

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation released an audit this spring revealing that the Ventura Youth Correctional Facility had the worst record of frequently isolating kids for 21 to 24 hours in their rooms.

Alicia Caballero, an associate with Ella Baker Center’s volunteer division known as “Soul of the City,” said it was great to hear how neighbors were excited “to get their hands dirty and really do something for the community.” Caballero said that Saturday was more than just another day of service, but a way to encourage more residents to view their neighborhood and city as an extension of their own homes.